Published: Friday, March 8, 2013 at 6:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 8, 2013 at 11:01 p.m.

PORT ORANGE-- Grimacing in pain every few minutes, Kanwaljit Singh sat in an easy chair and pressed a small pillow to his belly as he spoke of forgiveness for the people who shot him as he drove over a bridge with his son.

In his world, Singh — a devout follower of the Sikh religion — has no time for anger or revenge.

"I was raised a Sikh and you learn to forgive," said the father of two as he spoke slowly and mostly in Punjabi through interpreters at his Port Orange home Friday. "But I also want them (the shooters) brought to justice so that they don't do this to anyone else."

As the shots rang out before midnight Feb. 23 from a truck, Singh thought his Ford had gotten a flat tire, he said.

But then he felt a piercing, hot pain on his left side and realized he had been shot.

Someone in the dark blue or black truck — who had followed his car for miles from the Daytona Beach convenience store he owns — that had sidled up next to his car at the top of the bridge was shooting at his vehicle.

The person shot a handful of times, and Singh was struck twice — once in the torso and once in the thigh.

He stopped his car to see what had happened, and then his 13-year-old son saw the truck's driver stop the pickup on the bridge and put it in reverse.

"The person came back and shot at him again and then took off," said Dr. Harvinder Chadda, a family friend who along with two other friends helped Singh talk about his harrowing ordeal.

Port Orange police have said the shooters — likely driving a GMC Sonoma or Chevy S-10 truck — followed Singh from East International Speedway Boulevard, to State Road A1A, and then south to the Dunlawton Bridge about eight miles away. Singh and his son had just closed up their new business, a convenience store the family had opened just 10 days before the shooting.

Police Chief Gerald Monahan said the truck's license plate made it distinguishable because it is offset to the right of the bumper behind the passenger seat. Police are asking the public for help regarding any information about the shooter or shooters.

Investigators have also said the attack was probably not random because Singh was wearing the traditional head turban inherent to Sikh men. The turban represents a commitment to equality and justice and is also a symbol of faith and service.

Navtej Khalsa, regional director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund in Oviedo, said the very fact that Sikhs wear their turbans as a symbol of what they believe in and stand for, also makes them a target for people who mistake them for Muslims or Arabs.

"I myself have been called names and my son has been called a terrorist," Khalsa said Friday.

He said the attacks on Sikhs began shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, and have not stopped. Six members of the religion were shot to death attending a house of worship — also known as a Gurdwara — near Milwaukee last year.

The assault on Singh was just another painful reminder to the Sikh community that their appearance sparks anger and hatred in certain people, Khalsa said.

But Chadda said that would not deter them from practicing their religion, or wearing their turbans.

"We want to be identified, we are willing to take a bullet for what we believe in," said Chadda, a Port Orange dentist. "He (Singh) was willing to take a bullet."

Singh remained quiet as the other men in his living room spoke about the Sikh community and the religion they all share. He pressed a small pillow to his belly because he is recovering from an operation where most of his small intestine was removed. He also walks with difficulty because he was shot in one of his thighs.

He said he never got a look at his attackers, but has been praying for them.

Kirpal Singh, a Port Orange psychiatrist who is not related to the victim, said Singh and his son will probably go to post-traumatic stress counseling after things calm down a bit for the family. The boy was the one who called 9-1-1 that night after his father was shot and attempted to keep calm as he told a sheriff's dispatcher what had happened.

"The son also forgives the shooters," Kirpal Singh said. "But he is perplexed as to why this happened to them."

Anyone with information concerning the incident or the whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call detective Jeff Wenzel, 386-506-5884.

<p>PORT ORANGE-- Grimacing in pain every few minutes, Kanwaljit Singh sat in an easy chair and pressed a small pillow to his belly as he spoke of forgiveness for the people who shot him as he drove over a bridge with his son. </p><p>In his world, Singh &mdash; a devout follower of the Sikh religion &mdash; has no time for anger or revenge. </p><p>"I was raised a Sikh and you learn to forgive," said the father of two as he spoke slowly and mostly in Punjabi through interpreters at his Port Orange home Friday. "But I also want them (the shooters) brought to justice so that they don't do this to anyone else." </p><p>As the shots rang out before midnight Feb. 23 from a truck, Singh thought his Ford had gotten a flat tire, he said. </p><p>But then he felt a piercing, hot pain on his left side and realized he had been shot. </p><p>Someone in the dark blue or black truck &mdash; who had followed his car for miles from the Daytona Beach convenience store he owns &mdash; that had sidled up next to his car at the top of the bridge was shooting at his vehicle. </p><p>The person shot a handful of times, and Singh was struck twice &mdash; once in the torso and once in the thigh. </p><p>He stopped his car to see what had happened, and then his 13-year-old son saw the truck's driver stop the pickup on the bridge and put it in reverse. </p><p>"The person came back and shot at him again and then took off," said Dr. Harvinder Chadda, a family friend who along with two other friends helped Singh talk about his harrowing ordeal. </p><p>Port Orange police have said the shooters &mdash; likely driving a GMC Sonoma or Chevy S-10 truck &mdash; followed Singh from East International Speedway Boulevard, to State Road A1A, and then south to the Dunlawton Bridge about eight miles away. Singh and his son had just closed up their new business, a convenience store the family had opened just 10 days before the shooting. </p><p>Police Chief Gerald Monahan said the truck's license plate made it distinguishable because it is offset to the right of the bumper behind the passenger seat. Police are asking the public for help regarding any information about the shooter or shooters. </p><p>Investigators have also said the attack was probably not random because Singh was wearing the traditional head turban inherent to Sikh men. The turban represents a commitment to equality and justice and is also a symbol of faith and service. </p><p>Navtej Khalsa, regional director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund in Oviedo, said the very fact that Sikhs wear their turbans as a symbol of what they believe in and stand for, also makes them a target for people who mistake them for Muslims or Arabs. </p><p>"I myself have been called names and my son has been called a terrorist," Khalsa said Friday. </p><p>He said the attacks on Sikhs began shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, and have not stopped. Six members of the religion were shot to death attending a house of worship &mdash; also known as a Gurdwara &mdash; near Milwaukee last year. </p><p>The assault on Singh was just another painful reminder to the Sikh community that their appearance sparks anger and hatred in certain people, Khalsa said. </p><p>But Chadda said that would not deter them from practicing their religion, or wearing their turbans. </p><p>"We want to be identified, we are willing to take a bullet for what we believe in," said Chadda, a Port Orange dentist. "He (Singh) was willing to take a bullet." </p><p>Singh remained quiet as the other men in his living room spoke about the Sikh community and the religion they all share. He pressed a small pillow to his belly because he is recovering from an operation where most of his small intestine was removed. He also walks with difficulty because he was shot in one of his thighs. </p><p>He said he never got a look at his attackers, but has been praying for them. </p><p>Kirpal Singh, a Port Orange psychiatrist who is not related to the victim, said Singh and his son will probably go to post-traumatic stress counseling after things calm down a bit for the family. The boy was the one who called 9-1-1 that night after his father was shot and attempted to keep calm as he told a sheriff's dispatcher what had happened. </p><p>"The son also forgives the shooters," Kirpal Singh said. "But he is perplexed as to why this happened to them." </p><p>Anyone with information concerning the incident or the whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call detective Jeff Wenzel, 386-506-5884.</p>